Sunday 15 March 2009

Girl Groups, Love Songs and Lists



The Americans didn't have the monopoly on the "girl groups" in the early to mid sixties we had some memorable also rans. My favourite of these is Dany Chandelle & The Ladybirds melodromatic cover of an obscure song by an American artist Bernice Swanson. The sound is huge all booming drums and backing vocals, a wall of sound if you like.

Dany Chandelle & The Ladybirds - Lying Awake

While we're on the subject of walls of sound, why the fuck (The Best Part) Of Breakin' Up wasn't in the Love section of the Guardian's 1000 Songs Everyone Must Hear is beyond me, the "c'mon baby" at 2 mins 26 is possibly the sexiest sung words in pop.

The Ronettes - (The Best Part) Of Breakin' Up

I know that these things are subjective and I shouldn't get worked up about it, but Kylie's "Can't Get You Out of My Head" one of the greatest love songs? For fuck's sake! Still at least no U2 yet (I know it's coming).

I promise to haud ma wheesht and not comment on the further installments.

Update - should have followed my own advice above, as said Ronettes song is in today's Heartbreak section in the Observer, that'll teach me.

5 comments:

Simon said...

I thought of this post when I saw yours, my favourite all time girl group track. Then I noticed who had commented...

http://thesongsthatpeoplesing.blogspot.com/2008/08/are-you-trying-to-get-rid-of-me-baby.html

drew said...

I remember that post, brilliant version.

dickvandyke said...

Lists .. pah! Waste o time.

What's the point? You wouldna catch me ..

I'll tell you what lists are good for:

1. Making the list-maker feel big n clever.
2. Deliberate provocation.
3. Spleen venting (whatever that means) in their general direction.
4. Lazy journo fall back filler.
5. Blog discussions on a Sunday.
6. Grocery shopping
7. Mr Schindler
8. Brahms
9. Sinking Ships
10. Exausting all other ideas

drew said...

Class DVD, sheer class!

davyh said...

I found the first one ('love') depressingly bland, but the 'heartbreak' one better; this probably tells us that it is easier to write a good song about losing love than it is about being in it.

I like it that in amongst the well-known and obvious in these lists there are always one or two things I haven't heard yet but like the sound of and am inspired to go and find.